Exception to the Rule
by allstoriesintheend
Summary: The Doctor finally trusts someone enough to tell them all about Rose. Amy. Touched by his story, the redhead takes it upon herself to reunite the lost lovers, even if it does mean crossing universes, and reopening the cracks... Eleven/Rose
1. You lost someone

**I fancied writing a brand new Eleven/Rose story. This one should end up a nice length, depending on how popular it is :)**

**Enjoy!**

It was entirely unlike the Doctor to go back to something. He was well aware that he had to keep moving forward, to avoid looking back. That was a given. Rose Tyler, however, was an exception to the rule.

Sometimes he simply stood in the doorway of her old bedroom, something he hadn't quite been able to delete from the TARDIS hard drive. He knew full well the old ship wouldn't have let him, anyway. Other times, he sat at the kitchen table and he stared at the empty seat opposite him, and he pretended she was there, looking back at him, quite awkwardly, but smiling. He wondered why he had never spent every day with Rose like he should have- loving her, holding her, and being there for her, properly. Every time he had chance to think about her he cursed it.

Amy and Rory had tried challenging him about his moods. Rory had given up more easily, but Amy hadn't. She had pressed and pressed until the Time Lord had shouted her down, which seemed the only way to reign in the fiery girl when she stepped too far over the line. She would not let it be though, and it was on one particular day when she had taken it upon herself to change everything.

The Doctor was in the TARDIS console room, a place he could always think quite easily and for quite long periods of time. He wandered around the console itself, pushing the occasional button as he thought about _her _again. Thought about Rose. Why was it that the new married couple in the TARDIS had brought back so many old thoughts, and with such fury? He shook his head, and thought about other things, reminded himself that there was a circuit that needed soldering underneath the control panel.

He swung himself under the walkway so he was amongst loose wiring, and relatively well hidden, and there, he pulled out his sonic and flicked it open.

"Found you!"

The sonic jumped out of the Doctor's hand and went skidding across the floor as the Time Lord jerked in surprise. Amy appeared from the stairwell just above, slipping down to the Doctor's level and marching towards him. "You can't hide from me."

"Hide?" Repeated the Doctor, and he took a step back. "I wasn't hiding." He wasn't hiding consciously, but he suspected that deep down, he was. Amy took a step forward.

"Oh c'mon Doctor, I know you. I know you were hiding. Now," she reached out and took his shoulders so that she could manoeuvre him into the swing hanging just behind her, "tell me what's wrong."

The Doctor thudded down into the seat which swung back and forth ever so slightly, and he looked up at her, clenching his fists nervously. Amy stared back down at him, smiling triumphantly. The Doctor cursed her perseverance. She had well and truly trapped him, and he knew she wouldn't let him leave without hearing some kind of traumatic story...

"I'm fine." He replied, and he winced at how much of a liar he sounded. "I'm always...Fine."

Amy scoffed.

"I don't believe that for a second. Budge over." She went and sat next to him, squeezing into the smallest place possible by him on the swing. They were crushed together like peas in a pod. The Doctor felt awkward, so he shifted uncomfortably. Amy ignored him. "You space out all the time and look off into the distance, all broody. When me and Rory are being lovey dovey you watch us like we just spat in your face sometimes-" She paused. " And I know why."

The Doctor looked at her slowly.

"I don't know what you mean."  
"Yes you do." Replied the girl grandly, and then she looked at him firmly, eyes dark. She lowered her voice then, and placed a hand on his. "You lost someone."

The Doctor, while taken aback, wasn't about to admit she was right so easily.

"And what would make you think that?" He stood up and went to retrieve the sonic from the floor, while Amy watched him from the swing.

"I've lost Rory before, I've lost him twice, I know how it feels, and I know it's how you're feeling because you have that same look on your face. What was her name?"

The Doctor had his back to her, and it took some moments for him to finally say it.

"Rose." He cleared his throat. "Her name was Rose."

And then he slowly walked back to the swing, sat down beside Amy, and told her everything. He told her about the basement, and the word 'run', he told her about the Bad Wolf and he told her about the Daleks and the Cybermen, and the lever that went to 'offline'. He explained how he had just been an image on the beach, that Rose couldn't touch him, and he reminisced on the disappearing stars and the man he had left her with.

And he told Amy, in the finest detail he could have, because he never had expressed it properly, he told her that he had loved Rose Tyler with every inch of his being, that he ached for her when she had gone, and he still ached for her now. He had never told her this, he said, and Amy surprisingly understood, nodding and not saying a word, just listening.

When all was said and done, and the Doctor had spilled his soul and described his hopeless longing for the human shop girl, Amy had stood up, and faced the Time Lord with eyes ablaze with hope, and a plan of questionable sanity and possibility.

"Let's go get her."

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	2. He loved her

**Wow, I didn't expect such positive feedback. Thanks so much for the alerts, favourites and so many reviews on one chapter. I'm so pleased! I have big plans for this story. It's going to be so epic. Enjoy this chapter!**

After staring at her blankly for some moments, the Doctor shook his head, and almost laughed.

"Amy, did you not hear what I said? She's in another universe."

"Yes." Amy replied, as if that wasn't a problem at all. She took the Doctor's hands and pulled him to his feet.  
"She's with another man now; well, the other me."

"Yes." Amy answered again, and she turned her back on him and climbed back to the upper floor. The Doctor followed.

"Stop this, Amy. We can't, the fabric of reality-"

"The fabric of reality isn't an issue." Amy whirled on him, and she stared into his eyes fiercely, hers boring into his, willing him into doing the impossible. "I didn't care back in the dream world, and you shouldn't care now. It shouldn't matter." She went to the console and placed her hands on it, looking back at him with a slight nod and the hint of a smile on her lips. "It's Rose."

At the mention of her name, in that specific context, the Doctor was jolted into the heat and excitement of the moment. Why couldn't he just go and get Rose now? Why couldn't he steal her away from his other self and keep her here forever? Nothing was impossible, their relationship proved that, but how could he do it?

"What do you have in mind?" He ventured, walking towards Amy and leaning on the console. She put a hand on one hip, and looked at him mischievously. He knew the plan was going to be something he didn't like, but with all his heart he trusted mad, impossible Amy Pond.

"The cracks, we use the cracks."

The Doctor deadpanned.

"I closed the cracks, Pond."

"Yes, well spotted." She answered with sarcasm, rolling her eyes. "But we have a time machine."

The Doctor screwed his eyes shut. Travelling back to a point in time when the universe was so unsteady? It was madness.

...But Rose had done the same for him.

"We don't even know that the cracks lead to her world."  
"But it's likely, isn't it?" Replied Amy, watching him with a spark in her eye.

The Doctor understood completely at that moment why he had brought Amy with him. She pushed him, pushed him to extremes that he would normally be too careful to risk, extremes he had gone to in the past and in doing so had nearly destroyed the fabric of the worlds. He knew though, that if the they could find the right crack, that one would have Rose on the other side. Amy knew this too, and the Doctor wondered if he had always been aware of just _how _brilliant she was.

"It would require research." He said with a sigh, hardly prepared to risk the fabric of the universes this early on. "And time, lots of it."  
"Well then," Amy marched around to the console monitor which she pulled down, "it's a good thing you have a time machine." She reached out and patted him hard on the shoulder. "And that you just happen to be a Time Lord."

The Doctor surveyed Amy's expression, the cavalier _just to hell with it _look that he both loved and feared.

"No. It's not that simple, Amy." He screwed his eyes shut and put both hands on the console so he could hang his head over it. "It's never been _that simple._"

Amy pressed her lips together and knitted her brow. The Doctor kept his own gaze on the console.

"Okay then." Said the redhead, and she turned and marched from the console room. The Doctor looked up.

"Where're you going?" He called, straightening up.

"Going to see Rory." Amy replied brightly, disappearing up the staircase.

"Well...Good!" The Doctor shouted back, pretending he didn't mind that she had given up on her plan, when really, he had hoped she would push him that much further. Perhaps it was a good thing, he thought, perhaps it was best he finally let it be with Rose.

Deep down, he knew that wasn't true.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDW

Amy had not given up her plan. Not even close. She was going to help the Doctor find Rose, and she was going to do it soon. Striding into the bedroom she shared with Rory, Amy sat down next to her husband and gave him her best smile. He put down his book and looked at her with mild fear.

"What have I done?"

"It's nothing you've done," said Amy in a mischievous voice, "it's what you're going to do."

DWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor had managed to distract himself with a circuit that needed soldering. It wasn't much, but it was enough for that moment in time, the moment following Amy's random outburst and apparent obsession with Rose. He fiddled with the wires, trying to connect them, when Rory came in.

"I've got a bone to pick with you." The nurse called in a voice that suggested he wasn't entirely sure where he was going with this. The Doctor was nonplussed, hardly looking up from his wires.

"And what bone would that be?" He replied, concentrating hard.

"You-" He turned, looking towards Amy, who was peering around the side of the tunnel, making circling motions with her hands, signalling him to continue. "You uh... Amy! That's it, Amy. You told me you'd help me find her a present for our one month wedding anniversary."

This made the Doctor look up.

"It's been one month already?"

Rory nodded nervously.

"Sure."

The Doctor, knowing it was probably very likely he had forgotten something like this, frowned, dropped the wires, and clapped Rory on the shoulder.

"Well, we can't leave Mrs Pond without a gift. I have just the place." He typed in co-ordinates on the TARDIS typewriter, and within moments they had landed.

Rory, still entirely jittery and nervous, as a bad liar, followed the Time Lord to the TARDIS doors. He flung them open, and there, standing before them, was Harrods. Just Harrods. Not a planet of space crystal photo frames or intergalactic gold necklaces, just plain old Harrods. The Doctor grinned.

"This is a good place to by presents for the spouse, isn't it?"

Rory gave him a wary smile. The Doctor glanced back at the TARDIS interior, and then stepped out.

"I'll come along. I need a new soldering iron as it is, mine appears to be a little ancient. I haven't used it for a long while, and time tends to get away from you in there..."

Agreeing to go shopping together, the men slammed the door shut, leaving the determined Amy Pond alone within the grand expanse of the TARDIS.

DWDWDWDWDW

The redhead bounded down the stairs, heading straight to the console where she pulled down the ancient looking monitor.

"Show me Rose." She asked, eyes bright. The screen remained blank, but Amy wasn't having that. "Oh c'mon. I know you like her. Show me."

The screen flickered into life after a moment's hesitation. Gallifreyan symbols danced around the screen until images appeared, moving images, TARDIS memories. Amy watched in silence.

A blonde girl, very beautiful, but so young, was grinning at someone Amy couldn't see. She was weighed down with bags, was wearing a hat and a coat. Another flicker and another image. The same girl, Rose, leaning over a very different looking TARDIS console, beaming at a skinny man, (the Doctor- Amy hadn't quite understood this, as the Doctor had only brushed over it, but she could tell it was him)in a brown suit, asking him where they were going, to which he replied; "Further than we've ever gone before..."

White noise followed, and then there was Rose again, looking at an older, brunette woman with a mix of confusion and worry, she asked, carefully, fearful of the answer. "What do I do? Do I stay with him?" Amy swallowed, knowing who she meant. "Yes." Replied the older woman, and she looked upon Rose with wise eyes, knowing eyes. "Some things are worth getting your heart broken for..."

Another change, and Rose looked up at the Doctor, smiling with sadness. "It said I was gonna die in battle." The Doctor caught eyes with her, and his voice was firm. "Then it lied."

And then suddenly a jump to a new clip, and the TARDIS was lit low, a sad cerulean that surrounded the man in the brown suit as he stood in the centre of the console room, mouth open without words, tears streaming down his cheeks. Heartbroken.

Amy switched off the screen, discreetly wiping a stray tear from her own eye, and faced the ceiling, not sure what she was addressing to exactly.

"I get it. He loved her. I know her face now. So take him to her."

The TARDIS made a strange noise, like a groan, like she was arguing against it. "Oh don't be ridiculous," Amy argued, though she didn't fully understand what she was arguing against, "he needs her, there has to be a way."

The screen flashed into life again, and there, shining through it, was an image of the crack, the demented smile etched into the skin of the universe.

"So it's possible." Whispered Amy Pond, and she stared at the image for a few moments, with eyes that shone with adventure.

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	3. Typical Doctor

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"How was I to know that was post apocalyptic Harrods? It was supposed to be 2011."  
"Yeah, well, next time could take me to a shop that _isn't_ infested with zombies?"

The first thing the Doctor noticed as he re entered the TARDIS was how suspicious Amy Pond looked. She was standing by the blank TARDIS monitor, staring at him and Rory with the widest of eyes. He suspected her instantly, but tried not to show it.  
"Hello boys, where have you been?" The redhead said curiously, marching towards them.

Both men looked at one another.

"Nowhere, Pond." Replied the Doctor, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "What are you doing?"

Amy shrugged slightly.

"Nothing."

Rory watched the two, keeping warily quiet. The Doctor continued to stare Amy down, and then he strode right past her, to the console.

"Where are you going?" Amy followed him, slightly panicked, with Rory in tow, and the Doctor noticed. He tapped the screen on the monitor and the image of the crack flickered into life, the light shining onto the Doctor and illuminating his face. Amy halted just by the Time Lord, catching her breath.

"Thanks a lot." She said through gritted teeth to the TARDIS. The Doctor whirled on her.

"What have you done, Pond?"

Amy narrowed her eyes and squared up to him.

"I'm finding Rose. You need her, Doctor. Just like I need Rory."

"You need me?" Rory pitched in, appearing at Amy's shoulder.

"Shutup." She snapped, and he recoiled.

"This goes against every law of the universe!" Snapped the Doctor, and there was something in his eyes that struck uneasiness into Amy's. "You always go out of your way to ignore what I tell you, and why?" He clenched his jaw and stared down at her, his best attempt at being imposing, but Amy wasn't frightened in the slightest. Something had stirred inside the Time Lord, and Amy knew, which is what worried him. He didn't want to understand that his rage on this issue was because the hole Rose had left in his life was still there, and still fresh, and he had kept it inside for so long that he couldn't bear to put it into words, he just wanted to leave the dull ache there, let it slowly eat away at him...

Then suddenly the TARDIS lurched to the side, sending the trio sprawling to the floor. The familiar whirr of the engines sounded out, signalling takeoff, and the Doctor righted himself, staring up in alarm at the central column.

"What're you doing?" He scrambled to his feet. "Where are you taking us?"

Amy looked up defiantly from her place on the floor, and she smiled ever so slightly.

"To the cracks." She said breathlessly. "She's taking us to Rose."

The Doctor stared at Amy with wide eyes, and he didn't say anything. He knew he couldn't stop it. Defeated, he watched the rotor bounce up and down within the column, and he held on.

"But, the cracks erase things from history." Rory protested, getting to his feet. "They erased _me _from history!"

"No not them all, not the crack in Amy's wall." And the Doctor looked at him somewhat dejectedly. "It showed us stormcage, the other side of the universe. If we can get a scan of that particular crack, and feed the readings into the TARDIS..." He sighed and caught eyes with Amy, who was nodding, as if she knew. The Doctor screwed his eyes closed, as if the very words were disgusting and _wrong_. "She can find the correct type...And, it's likely that it'll lead to the parallel earth where I left Rose."

There was silence between the three, with the quiet hum of the TARDIS acting as the backdrop. Rory glanced at Amy.

"And you worked this out?"

Amy shrugged.

"Sort of."

"Yes and we're not doing it. DO YOU HEAR ME?" The Doctor span around on the spot. "Nobody is crossing a universe today!"

As if in answer, the TARDIS stopped humming, and there was the sound of something heavy hitting the floor. She had landed. Everybody swapped looks, and the Doctor was the first to run to the doors and wrench them open.

Outside, Amy's dishevelled home and untidy back garden sprawled out before them, the single swing teetering back and forth in an almost ghostly fashion. Amy and Rory came to see as well, and together, the trio looked out at a sight they had not seen in so long.

One by one they exited the TARDIS, looking around almost suspiciously.

"_When_ are we?" Asked Amy, glancing at the Doctor.

"Not sure." He replied distractedly, marching towards the house. The married couple followed and together they approached the front door.

"What if we bump into Amy...Or something?" Rory ventured, gazing around. "We could cause a paradox, thing."

"Exactly. This entire thing is extremely risky." Answered the Doctor in a stern tone.

"Right, because nothing else we ever do is risky." Amy said with a roll of her eyes, shoving the front door open after pushing her key in the lock.

Now standing in the hallway of the old house, the Doctor swung around to face his accomplices, lowering his voice.

"Right, you two stay down here and keep an eye out while I scan the crack-"

"Oh no you don't." Amy challenged, grabbing his arm. "Not after that episode back in the TARDIS. No, I'm coming with you. You should've realised by now that you have no choice." She gave him a wry smile, and linked arms with him. He tried to struggle out of her grasp but she held on tight.

"I take it I'm the lookout then." Said Rory, deadpan. Amy patted him on the shoulder.

"That's right! See you in a few!"

DWDWDWDWDWDW

They set off up the stairs, with the Doctor complaining all the way.

"This is wrong, Pond, and you know it."

"It's not wrong. It's right. Very right. So right in fact, I'm not sure why I never tried it before."

"Working with the TARDIS to cross worlds by way of the cracks... that's the last thing I need, two women on my case about something I left behind long ago." He looked off to the side, bitter. Amy squeezed his arm.

"You never left it behind. That's why I'm doing this."

Touched, and slightly alarmed by how well she knew him (but hardly willing to show her that) the Doctor became silent.

They got to the second floor, and stepped into Amy's room, where the thin, smile like etching of the crack was still in Amy's wall. The room was as it had been when they had first met, some new models of the Doctor and Amelia, patchwork bedding and children's toys. It felt strange, the Doctor noted, to be there again, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was always supposed to happen.

The two stared at the back wall for a few moments, until the Doctor said something, very quietly.

"What if she's happy...With the other me? What then..?"

Amy looked at him, and her expression turned into a softly amused one.

"Don't be silly." She pulled away from him, sure he wouldn't run away, and she faced him, smiling almost sadly. "You should have known she wouldn't be happy with another you. She wanted _you._" She rolled her eyes. "Typical Doctor, that is. Missing the point."

About to protest, the Doctor opened his mouth, but Amy breezed past him and shoved the desk out of the way of the wall.

"Scan it." She looked over her shoulder at him. "You know you want to."

Sighing, the Doctor went to the wall, knowing it was futile to fight against Amy, and flicked the sonic so that he could scan the crack. After a few seconds of whirring, he checked the readings and nodded.

"We have what we need..."

At that moment, Rory called from down below.

"Uh, Doctor? Amy? I think we should get going!"

Amy marched out of the room and leant on the stair banister.

"Why?"

"Well..." Rory's face appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Seven year old you, plus your Aunt Sharon, are coming up the front path."

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	4. Strictly Forbidden

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Having heard Rory's warning, the Doctor slammed the desk back in its place against the wall so that half the pencils in a pot went scattering across the surface, and dashed out of the room, seizing Amy's hand as he went.

They ran together down the stairs, thundering along until they rejoined Rory.

"Back door?" Breathed the Doctor, looking from one to the other hopefully. Amy nodded and sprinted down the hall towards the kitchen. The trio scrambled past the dining table and chairs and to the back door, which the Doctor opened with a green beam from the sonic.

Together they scrambled out into the back passage, and hurried down the side of the house before appearing out front, just as the front door slammed shut. Relief spread across the three as they made their way back to the TARDIS.

As they climbed inside, the Doctor went to the console quicker than anticipated. He connected the end of the sonic to a wire, and pulled down the monitor. Amy bounded to his side.

"Somebody's getting into this."

The Doctor glared at the screen.

"I'm just...Curious. That's all."

"Sure. We'll go with that." Smirked Amy, and she leant against the console and folded her arms as he worked. Rory watched the scene with mild bemusement.

The Doctor, moving his face closer to the monitor than necessary, caught his breath and suddenly went monstrously quiet. Amy peered over his shoulder.  
"What? What is it?"

Rory peeked too, and the Doctor took a wary step back, so he was sandwiched between his two companions. They all stared seriously at the screen. On it, was what looked to be a completely normal room. It was large, like a church hall, but was completely white washed, giving it a sense of somewhere clinical. Only one end was visible, and that was a wall, standing erect and lonely, with only the smile shaped crack embedded in it for company.

"Oh, well that's boring." Commented Amy, folding her arms. "It couldn't have been somewhere fun like the side of an Andes Mountain?"

"Hush, Pond." Snapped the Doctor, and he appeared to be deep in thought.

"So...Is that the one? The passage we need?" Ventured Rory, and he kept his voice low. "I mean, how do we know Rose is on the other side?"  
"We just do." Said the Doctor sharply, and he turned away from the screen, leaning on one of the bars which ran around the central console. "It's definitely _that place._" He closed his eyes, and the memory was all too familiar to him. The fear in Rose's eyes as she had let go of the lever and dropped towards the void, his own screams as she fell, and finally that last look of regret as she disappeared with her father, to the other world...He sighed, and he remembered the exact place he had placed his hand, the moment when he had thought he could hear her, or feel her presence somehow, like she was touching the same wall, so far away from him...

Amy and Rory, not fools, understood that this place held specific meaning to the Doctor and Rose's love story, so remained quiet, hardly daring to breathe. The Time Lord ran his hands over his tired eyes, hearts beating double time. He wasn't sure he could face the Torchwood building in Canary Wharf, he wasn't sure he could reopen the old wounds...

"It's your only way of seeing her again." Amy whispered, and she was closer than the Doctor had expected, her hand clutching his arm. "And you want to see her again, don't you?"

For the first time, the Doctor looked at Amy honestly, and he nodded.

"So much."

"Then let's go to her. Please. I want this for you."

"Oh, Pond. Mad, impossible Amy Pond. I don't know what I'd do without you." And he pulled her into a hug.

"Alright alright, get a move on!" She laughed, pushing him away. The Doctor, eager, but still struggling to show it, went to the console and hesitated by it. Then, he flicked the image of Torchwood, Canary Wharf off, and set the TARDIS into motion.

DWDWDWDWDW

The TARDIS materialised in the very same room where everything had gone wrong so long ago, and when the Doctor poked his head through the open door, he saw that the building itself had been long abandoned. The room, now that he saw it for real, was covered in dust, and the white walls were cracking from age. He stepped out, spinning around, viewing his surroundings. It still felt the same. The pain still seemed to linger in the walls.

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, and he stood completely rigid, watching the wall, as if he feared it may bite him. Then, as if he couldn't stop himself, he walked slowly to it, arms at his sides. Amy and Rory had stepped out of the TARDIS just as he had set off, but remained by the blue box, holding hands. They didn't know what this room was about, but they knew not to ask.

The Doctor meanwhile had reached the end of the room, and had raised his hand in an attempt to touch the wall. He pressed the tips of his fingers to it, and then, as if it were scolding hot, pulled them away instantly, wiggling all his fingers and taking a step back. He never thought he would be there again.

"Touch it." Amy whispered, though the Doctor couldn't hear her. "You can do it."

And the Doctor did, even though he hadn't heard her words. He pressed that one hand to the surface, and followed by resting his cheek against it. He closed his eyes and he remembered, he remembered every moment of the battle, and he remembered every second leading up to it. Rose's words rang out in his head, and he knew something had to be done. _Now this is really seeing the future, you just leave us behind. Is that what you're gonna do to me?_

"No..." Murmured the Doctor, and he straightened up and took a step back, staring fiercely at the crack in the wall. "Not to you." And he pulled out the sonic screwdriver and slowly aimed it forward. He pushed the button and the tip lit up, running along the length of the crack.

There was a strange sound, like the loudest creak of the oldest front door, or the distant roar of a pack of wolves...Somehow it was a sound the Doctor had never heard before in all of his nine hundred years. The sound of the universe tearing.

There was a blinding light and a wind kicked up out of nowhere. The Doctor staggered back, shielding his face as the crack opened.

On the other side, just like he had secretly hoped, was the same room, on the parallel earth. It too stood alone, rejected, a dark melancholy blue. The Doctor suspected there had been some tears in here. He didn't look back at Amy and Rory as he stepped through, and he didn't notice them follow him either, into the beyond.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

Their footsteps seemed to echo even louder inside the parallel building that it had back in their world. The room was strangely clean, it smelt of bleach and other cleaning liquids, and the Doctor wondered why. The room obviously wasn't used, and yet it was left there, clean as a whistle.

"Where is this?" Rory's voice sounded out around them, bouncing off the walls. Amy smacked his chest to silence him.

The Doctor didn't take his eyes off the door leading out as he answered.

"What?" He paused, seemingly away with the fairies, and then he continued, gathering his bearings. "It's her world. It's Rose's world. A place called Torchwood, come on."

The couple hurried to catch up with the Time Lord, and stood waiting as he pulled on the door handle. "There wasn't a door here before." He commented, testing the lock. "I wonder why." And he held the sonic to it and pushed the button; the door swinging open instantly.

The trio flinched in surprise when they came face to face with two imposing looking guards and a familiar. The Doctor stiffened and he stared more intently than he should have at the woman who glared back at him.

"What're you doing in there? That room is strictly forbidden!" Her eyes blazed, and the Doctor swallowed.

"I- Well, we-"

She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to one side as he babbled, scrutinising him.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

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	5. You left me here

**Thanks to MayFairy and mmgage who review every chapter without fail. 3**

**I don't own anything here...**

The Doctor sat opposite Rose Tyler in the interrogation room, the only thing separating them was a grey table, which seemed to only be there for the purpose separation, and as a place for Rose's coffee. Amy and Rory had been taken somewhere else, to be contained, so now it was just the Doctor, sat bolt upright, staring at the woman he loved, who didn't seem too pleased with him. He wondered if that would change if he told her who he was. He had obviously answered 'no' when she had suggested they had met before, but he wasn't sure why...

"So," she said idly, leaning forwards, "how did you get into the room?"

The Doctor watched her. He couldn't help himself as he took in the rare sight of her golden hair, that today fell in curls around her shoulders. She wore a white blouse that pulled in at the waist with a ribbon, and a black pencil skirts with heels. She looked better than ever.

"I'm sorry, was I not supposed to?"

"No." Rose snapped back, and she sat back, distancing herself from him. "It's a_lways _locked. Nobody goes in there, I ordered it."

"So..." The Doctor mused, frowning slightly. "You're the boss then? Of Torchwood?"  
"Yes, but that's hardly your business." She replied curtly. "Why are you here? Who are you?"  
"I'm just passing through." Replied the Doctor, evading one of the questions. Rose's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"What?" Repeated the Doctor, bemused.

"How are you just 'passing through' a private building?"

"It's what I do best." The Doctor wasn't entirely sure what he was doing. He wanted her to guess it was him, but at the same time, he didn't. He watched her take a sip of her coffee, and hold the mug in her hands when she had done so.

"I know someone who does it better than you."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? Who would that be then?"

She laughed.

"Like I'd tell you."

"Then perhaps you could tell me why you shut off that room?"

"Bad memories." Replied Rose, as if she couldn't help herself. Her words were followed by a deep frown. "I don't know why I told you that..."

"People like telling me things." Said the Doctor with a small smile. Rose caught his eyes, looking suspicious.

"This is serious." She snapped, as if she was scared of relating to him, talking to him. "No-one is ever supposed to go in that room."

"Well I'm not just anyone-"  
"Stop that!" She slapped a hand down on the table and stood up abruptly, holding the mug of coffee in one tight fist. "Tell me who you are!"

"Do you really want to know?"

Her eyes glazed over for a moment as she stared down at the Doctor, and her mouth opened just slightly, as if she were trying to find the correct words. The Time Lord could have sworn she knew, but couldn't quite make herself believe it. She was trying so hard to be scary and authoritative, but it just wasn't working. It wasn't Rose, and now, he watched her crumble before his very eyes as she suspected who she was really talking to. Her wide eyes betrayed her facade, and he decided to put her out of her misery.

"Rose. It's me."

The mug went to the floor, smashing on contact, sending shards of pewter and splashes of coffee all across the floor. Rose staggered back, almost stumbling over her chair which waited just behind her legs. The Doctor stood upright, holding his hands out in alarm.

"You! You can't be!" She spluttered, pressed against the wall now, suddenly horrified. "You left me here!"  
"Yes, I left you with him...Me." Said the Doctor carefully, with a slight smile, approaching her slowly. "I just thought I'd pop in, say hi-"

"You can't! You can't just come back when you want! I should be cross because you left me behind again but oh-" Her eyes flickered to his attire, and over his general appearance. "Oh you're wearing a bloody bow tie, and you've got hair like a tidal wave and-" She put a hand to her head, breathing shallow breaths, staring at the floor. The Doctor stopped advancing.

"I could...Should I...? I should go. I'll go, I'll-" He reached for the door handle but Rose clamped a hand down on his.

"No!" She cut him off sharply. "Don't go. Not yet." And she sat down on the chair and twisted it around so she faced him as he stood by the door. "We could, I dunno..." She laughed, a ridiculous laugh that mocked the situation. "...Talk."

The Doctor looked left and right. Her reaction wasn't...normal, but he nodded anyway. That seemed reasonable.

"Yes, alright. Talking is good." He twiddled his fingers and looked awkward, waiting for her to talk. She obliged, trying to act normal.

"So...What've you been up to?"

"Well," the Doctor ran a hand through his hair, and he was sure he saw Rose sigh slightly as he did so, "You know, same old...I saved Christmas! Sort of... What about you? How's he? I mean...How am...I?"

"Good. He's...Good."

The next moment was awkward. There were too many things between them that had gone unsaid, and had almost been said various times...But neither of them had ever got around to it. The Doctor wondered if Rose was happy with the other him, like Amy had said. He wanted to ask, but he feared opening a can of worms, he feared changing things when really that wasn't what he had wanted. He had wanted to see her again, and that had been greedy. He knew that now, but he wouldn't be able to bring himself to leave...

When he looked up again, she was standing much closer to him. He caught the scent of her perfume- it smelt like roses, ironically enough- and he wondered in a half panic, what she was doing. She stroked the tweed of his jacket and trailed her finger curiously to his bow tie.

"Only you could wear a bow tie..." She chuckled fondly, and he knew then that he needn't worry what she thought about his new form. She knew he would always be the Doctor. Her hand went to his face then, and she stroked the skin there with her thumb. It was slightly more than the Doctor had expected, and by her tension he suspected she thought so too, but the hand didn't move, and her eyes grew sadder. "You seem tired...Older."

"I am." Replied the Doctor with the ghost of a smile, and he wanted to say he noticed usual the glint in her eye seemed to have dimmed over time, but he didn't. He didn't dare. He wanted to keep her in his head, in a happy place, a place he still couldn't convince himself was real.

The quiet that followed then didn't seem awkward anymore. There was a mutual understanding as they got used to each other's presence again, and the Doctor thought it funny that all this would happen in a poky little interview room in the parallel Torchwood.

The pale white light that seeped in through the small windows set off Rose's blonde hair so that it almost sparkled, and the Doctor watched, thanking Amy inwardly, knowing by this sight that she had been right to push him here. Perhaps he could tell Rose the things he had meant to all that time ago.

"You should come say hello." She said abruptly, suddenly removing her hand, as if it were the most intimate of gestures. "To the Doctor, I mean." She giggled again. "Doctor number two, I suppose he is." And the giggle darkened somewhat until it halted entirely.

The Doctor, the proper Doctor, stood up, and he smiled at her as best he could, all the hopes that had just run through his head disappearing in an instant in favour of her current happiness.

"I would love to...But first, if you would...Releasing Amy and Rory would be nice."

DWDWDWDWDW

"The love of your life put me in a cell." Murmured Rory irritably, walking alongside the Doctor after he had come along to set them free.

"Shutup Rory, we did kind of invade her special secret room..." Countered Amy, shrugging.

"She wants to introduce me to the other Doctor." The Doctor said in a voice that betrayed his calm. Amy looked bemused.

"Well that's a change of pace."

"Yeah..." Agreed the Doctor, troubled.

"You're better than him anyway!" And Amy whacked him on the back.

"I'm not sure I want to be." Replied the Doctor, stung. "She seems happy. I wouldn't want to ruin that."

They arrived outside, the automatic doors leading into the Torchwood building shutting behind them. The air in the parallel world smelled different.  
"This is weird." Rory announced looking around. "It's like something's off."

"It's your world, but slightly different, that'd be why." Said the Doctor sharply, glancing left and right.

A car pulled up in front of the three then, and the window wound down to reveal a smiling Rose Tyler.

"Come on then you lot, get in!"

**Review :)**


	6. Blimey, look at you

**I own nothing here!**

They piled into the car, and it was the Doctor who spent an extra few seconds panicking over whether he should sit in the front with Rose, or in the back with Amy and Rory. He chose the front seat. (He didn't want to upset Rose, after all.)

They drove for some time, and the tension in the car was near unbearable. The Doctor had no idea what to say, Rose was completely taken aback and confused and Amy and Rory were ever so slightly miffed that they had been locked in a cell for the last hour. Nobody knew what to say.

That was, until they began the approach up the driveway of a grand mansion, standing on its own in the centre of acres of greenery. Amy and Rory peered out of the window, and the Doctor watched out of the windscreen, finally thinking of something to say.  
"You still live with Tylers numbers one through three then?"

"Yeah," nodded Rose, pulling the car up round the front, "it's massive, this place. The Doctor and I sort of live in half of it, it's like a flat, sort of."

The Doctor nodded, and Rose killed the engine, catching his eyes. "Best not say hello to mum right away. She-"  
"She won't be too fond of me." Agreed the Doctor, and he smiled at the memory.

Everybody climbed out of the car and headed inside. Amy poked the Doctor and smirked.

"Swanky."  
"Quiet, Pond."

They entered the huge entrance hall, with a curving stairway straight ahead and new family photos filling the walls and surfaces of cabinets and dressers. It was quite beautiful, and the Doctor felt pleased that the Tylers were living in such expensive and comfortable surroundings. He thought they deserved it.

"The Doctor should be upstairs." Smiled Rose, though she seemed somewhat reluctant now. "He works from home at the moment. A special case. There're these cracks that we keep finding, and-" She cocked her head onto one side. "That's how you got here, isn't it?"

The Doctor shrugged nonchalantly, as if it wasn't an issue (when really, he still worried about it, deep down.)

"Well, you know me."

"I don't know the new you yet." She replied, and her smile was somewhat pained. "Anyway! Amy and Rory, is it? I can get you something to eat, if you-"

Before she could finish, Rose was cut off by the sound of the front door slamming shut. Everyone span around to see Jackie Tyler, standing by the front door looking horrified.

She looked from Rose, to Amy, to Rory and finally to the Doctor. Nobody said a thing.

"Rose..." Jackie said slowly, walking further in the house, weighed down by handfuls of shopping bags. "Company?"  
"Yeah mum!" Beamed Rose, putting on her fakest smile. "This is-"  
"The Doctor! And I'm Rory. This is Amy."

Everybody glared at Rory, who looked taken aback. "Did I say something wrong?"

The shopping bags went crashing to the floor. Eggs smashed and milk cartons leaked across the carpet. Jackie Tyler armed herself with a large baguette, and began brandishing it at the Doctor, who staggered back in alarm.  
"How dare you come back here! She's finally happy!" And she began to beat the Time Lord with the bread stick. "And-you've-changed- that-bloody-face of yours- again!"

Halfway through the assault, Amy intercepted the offending weapon and grabbed it mid swipe, pulling it away from the angry mother's grasp.

"Woah now..." And she placed it on the floor. "Let's all just keep calm for a minute."

"How can I? He's darkening our doorway again, I only just got this one to settle down!" Jackie gestured wildly at Rose, who looked suitably embarrassed.

The Doctor, somewhat wild eyed and admittedly a little frightened, straightened up gingerly and neatened his bow tie.

"I suppose I deserved that."

"I'll agree." Shrugged Rory.

Suddenly there was the sound of hurried footsteps on carpet, and all parties in the hallway turned to see the metacrisis Doctor, halting at the top of the stairs. The real Doctor's eyes widened. It was strange, seeing his past like that. He was exactly the same as he remembered. All ruffled hair and wild eyes. He was wearing a burgundy t-shirt and blue jeans (plus converse). It struck the Doctor how _domesticated _the outfit made him look. His hearts beat double time, and he wasn't sure if it was through seeing his past, or him feeling somewhat envious of what the metacrisis had, that he didn't, that made them double in pace. There was a strange silence within the room, and the Doctor felt all eyes on him, suddenly. The metacrisis Doctor stared down at him with a slight frown, and then he smiled widely.

"Hello again!" And he descended the staircase in excitement, bounding to Rose's side and observing the new appearance of himself. "Blimey look at you."  
"Watch it." The Doctor murmured, giving him a sort of fake smile. "You look..."  
"Older, probably." He laughed a little. "I get older now!"  
"I know." Replied the Doctor, and he chose to look around at everybody, whilst grandly saying: "This is awkward!"

He caught sight of Rose, who seemed to be having some sort of internal dilemma. Her eyes flickered from one Doctor to the other, and she had gone slightly pink. Both Doctors noticed, and caught eyes with one another. It was a somewhat competitive look, something neither of them would admit to, but clearly had. The metacrisis cleared his throat and stood closer to Rose, taking her hand in his.

"So, are these your new friends then?"

The Doctor, who had been staring rather fiercely at the linked hands of the couple, blinked and looked up.

"What? Oh, yes. Amy, Rory- This is, well this is me. Sort of."

Amy had already shoved her way between both parties, and had held a hand out to be shaken.

"Amy Pond."

The other Doctor smiled brightly.

"The Doctor."  
"Yes you are." She batted her eyelids slightly, gave him the Amy Pond smoulder. Rory appeared at her side, aghast.  
"Amy!"

"What, I'm only saying hello!"  
"It's never just hello with you!" And he moved forward slightly, so he was in between the two. Amy pouted and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You know I love you."

"I know."

"A married couple." Murmured the metacrisis. "We've never had a married couple before, have we?"

"No. It's a new thing." Replied the Doctor.

"Bow tie..." Mused the taller of the two. "That looks good, never underestimate a bow tie."  
"Exactly!" Replied his counter part. "I keep telling them all that they're cool-"  
"But they never listen? Can't expect humans to understand good fashion..."

"Alright you two, put away your hand bags." Laughed Rose, who seemed to be positively glowing now from all the excitement. She pulled awkwardly away from the meatcrisis' hand and went to the eleventh Doctors side, grabbing his arm. "I need to give you a tour!"  
"Ooh, a tour." Said Amy with raised eyebrows, as if Rose's sentence in itself had been the dirtiest thing ever said.

"A tour! Brilliant. Love tours." Beamed the metacrisis Doctor.

"Actually..." Rose smiled slightly, and she seemed awkward, but not regretful. "I thought it could just be me and the Doctor."

**Review? I promise this whole Doctor/Rose/metacrisis thing is going to get more interesting! ;)**


	7. You made me happy

**I think you should all know I was listening to the Inception soundtrack while writing this. Damn epic, it was. So it's partially to blame for the resulting chapter.**

**I own nothing here!**

"Right...Of course! Obviously." Said the other Doctor, smiling and laughing it off. Rose glanced up at the original.

"You ready?"

The Doctor watched himself somewhat guiltily, and nodded. They walked together towards the stairs. Amy hurried after them, whispering quickly in the Doctor's ear.

"Good luck."

"Luck?" Repeated the Time Lord, alarmed, as they headed away from the bemused hallway of people.

It was as they rounded the corner and arrived in the top corridor when the situation really seemed to hit the Doctor. He was alone with Rose, finally. He had found her, and they were spending time together. It was a strange, but lovely feeling.

"This side of the house is mine and the Doctors." Rose began, letting go of her companions arm so that she could gesture around them. "We just left the decoratin' to mum and dad. I doubt they'd let the Doctor loose with a paint brush anyway."

"I can paint!" The Doctor shot back, slightly offended. Rose just laughed and patted his arm.

She showed him the bathroom, which was perfectly clean and extremely large, and she showed him the spare bedroom, which was decorated in a TARDIS blue wallpaper. The Doctor very much liked it, and even though Rose had told him her parents had done the decorating, he could definitely see his own ideas in there. It was comforting, somehow.

"Here's the study. I don't go in there, as you can imagine." Rose announced as they moved to the next door, pushing the door open.

The Doctor peeked in, and saw that it looked quite like his study in the TARDIS. All large arm chairs and mahogany furniture with clocks and amusing items on the desks. A globe with alterations, marbles, water features. He wandered in, glancing over the scribbles and drawings on pages which lay on the desk. The crack. The crooked smile donned each page, with annotations and notes by them. It seemed the metacrisis was working hard on the mystery. The Doctor made a note to speak to him about it later. Rose, meanwhile, had grown bored, and was dragging the Time Lord from the room.

They moved to the other side of the stairs where Rose pointed out little Tony's room, which was covered in posters of space, the ceiling near disappearing under an army of stick on glow in the dark stars. The Doctor smiled fondly, and thought of what an influence Rose and the metacrisis must have been having upon the five year old. He considered it important for children to know about the universe.

They looked at a play room and a room full of clutter, and finally it was time to descend the steps into the lower regions of the house. The Doctor paused at the top of the stairs however, and looked around curiously at one door they had missed off.

"What about that room?" He asked, gesturing to it. Rose's gaze fell upon the door, and she answered carefully and somewhat shamefully.

"That's...That's our room."

The Doctor continued to stare at the closed door.  
"Oh." For some reason the use of the word 'our', had done strange things to the Doctor. It had triggered not only jealously, but longing, longing for it to be him she was talking about. Rose seemed to have noticed this, and she reluctantly spoke.

"I can show you if you want."  
"No." Answered the Doctor, a little sharply. "No, that...That's alright."

"It's fine." Said Rose with a nervous giggle. "Come on." She took his hand and pulled him over to the door.

The room was big and well lit. There were large windows running the length of, and making up the back wall, and a small balcony looked out over the grounds of the house. A double bed sat just to the left, with TARDIS blue sheets. A dressing table was opposite, with brushes and perfumes and the obvious, for the Doctors tenth incarnation- hair gel- and in frames on one of the bedside tables were pictures of the Doctor and Rose; but the Doctor noticed they were not of the metacrisis, but _him, _and on the other table were more scribbles and notes on the crack, as well as a prototype sonic screwdriver and a framed photo of Albert Einstein. He knew which side was which, and one side worried him.

Rose was opening the one door that led out onto the balcony, and when the Doctor turned she had already gone outside, and was beckoning for him to follow her. He did, with one last glance at those old pictures of himself on her bedside table, and joined her out in the chill air. She leant against the railings of the balcony itself and he stood straight, looking out over the greenery. It really was very beautiful, but he knew it wasn't nearly as much as her.

He could feel her eyes upon him, and he swallowed, knowing that this moment had been coming ever since he and Amy had defied the laws of the universe.

"It's funny standing here with you." Rose said quietly, and the Doctor replied in a monotone.

"I know."

"I mean, I always stand here, with him. But it's not much like standing here with _you." _She paused. "Not now you've changed anyway."

He heard her shift so that she was closer to him, and he tensed, even though he hadn't wanted to.

"Look at you." She whispered, and he turned, unable to help himself. "You're younger than ever." She ran one hand through his hair, running her fingers back and forth. The Doctor cleared his throat.

"Rose, I don't think that-"  
"Shutup. You left me with a double, let me have a moment with the real thing." She pulled her hands away and pressed them to his back, enveloping him within her arms and sighing. The Doctor wasn't entirely sure what his other self would think about this. He imagined he would be hurt, but not angry. Anyway, it was only a hug. It didn't matter, and he had missed her so much...His other self would appreciate that.

He held her too, squeezing her tightly. He closed his eyes, screwed them shut, and he savoured the moment, their proper reunion. She smelt the same and she felt the same, and he ignored everything that was wrong with coming here for just that moment in time, and enjoyed being with her.

Then her body began to shudder, and it was only after opening his eyes and listening intently, that the Doctor realised she was crying. Silently, tears streamed down her face and soaked the tweed of his jacket. All he could do was hold her close, and hope that she wouldn't fall apart in his arms.

"I'm sorry." Was what he found himself saying; and he realised there really was nothing else he _could _say. "I'm sorry."

She sniffed, and she pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes, mascara smeared all over the back of her hand.

"What're you sorry about?" She sniffed, and a smile appeared despite the situation. "You came back."

The Doctor nodded his head, but again he didn't say anything. He felt awful. Already he was ruining her life again. "I'm happy though." She said as an afterthought, as if it were something she should have said, but forgot to. "As it stands, my life finally seems back on track. You made me happy. Thanks." And she turned and walked away, continuing to wipe her eyes.

He watched her go, and his hair ruffled in the breeze. He noticed that their intimate moment had suddenly become stale and cold. It was as though she was trying to make it so that he didn't matter. He understood, surprisingly enough. He understood that she had to try and distance herself from this man she used to know, to protect the man she knew now.

He followed her out, shoulders slumped ever so slightly, head bowed just a little. He reminded himself that this was his doing, and so ignored the ache in both of his hearts.

**I might have made myself cry a little bit, writing that. Please review, to make the tears worthwhile! D:**


	8. Better than you

**Proof read chapter is up now :)**

Amy and Rory were in the kitchen with Jackie and the metacrisis Doctor. Cups of tea had been made for everyone in a slight attempt to prompt conversation, but only awkward silences had followed, until the metacrisis had taken it upon himself to spark some chat.

"So! Amy and Rory; a married couple eh? That's brilliant, that. Bet you're both great. What am I like, these days?"

"Weird." Replied Amy and Rory at once. They looked at each other in surprise, and then back at the other Doctor.

"Tell me..." Amy leant forward conspiratorially. "You seem to dress okay now, but what about back then? Have you always dressed odd?"  
The other Doctor opened and closed his mouth, words failing him.

Rose and the Doctor entered then, cutting the awkward conversation in half. The other Doctor stood up abruptly.

"Did you like the house?"

The Doctor smiled weakly and nodded, trying to get the image of himself and Rose in those photo frames out of his mind.

"Yes. It's rather lovely, isn't it?"

The other Doctor lowered his voice.

"Did you notice all the TARDIS blue?"

"Yes." Replied the Doctor, smiling with amusement. "You're getting through to them."

"This is far too weird." Jackie said with mild disgust, heading out of the room. "You bloody Time Lords. Honestly." And she disappeared down the hall without another word.

The Doctor watched Rose carefully, still feeling stung, but happy that she was happy...Or was she? She stood by the other Doctor but she didn't touch him. Her body language was tense and unwelcoming, but his other self didn't appear to notice. What the real Doctor noticed himself, however, was how Rose's brown eyes flickered onto him once, twice, three times, and much more as Amy began to speak.

"Alright, are we just going to sit around and talk all day or are we actually going to _do _something?"  
"Like what?" Rose raised her eyebrows and looked over at the redhead.

"I dunno, I was hoping you could answer that one."

"Amy, it's a reunion...Thing." Rory warned, seemingly embarrassed. "Let them all do what they want."

"And we just have to sit around and wait for them to finish? Come onnn."

"Tell you what," smiled Rose, ushering the couple out of their seats, "there's the tennis court out back. You can have a game."  
"Oh, the tennis court's great!" Beamed the other Doctor. "I'll show you, come on!"

And Rose and Eleven were left alone once more.

They watched their companions hurry out of the kitchen in a blizzard of excitement, and once all was quiet again, Rose turned to him.

"I'm sorry about before."

"Sorry about what?" The Doctor frowned, feeling uneasy.

"For crying, and for being, I dunno...Dismissive. It's just confusin', havin' you here. Brings back old memories, old feelin's..."

"Don't." Cut in the Doctor, voice firm.

"Don't what? It's just nice, knowing another you. I actually sort of liked how you could change."

"Can we not..." Muttered the Doctor, and he screwed his eyes shut. "I mean..."

"Of course. Sorry." She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Silly of me, falling into old ways. Living with him is like living with you. If you were domestic." She paused, and then added quietly, almost so the Doctor couldn't hear. "But you'd never be domestic." Then her eyes brightened, and she stood up on tip toes so she could peck him on the cheek. "Anyway, best go get in on that tennis tournament."

She headed out of the room quickly, and the Doctor almost let her go without saying anything, but he really couldn't help himself.

"Rose!" He called, causing her to turn. He hesitated before speaking again. "Is he good to you?"

Rose smiled softly and hung her head.

"Course he is." She nodded, as if trying to convince herself of something. "You've always been good to me." And she turned on her heel and left the room without looking back.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor had followed Rose to the tennis court shortly afterwards, and had beelined towards Amy without a second thought.

"Amy."

The duplicate Doctor and Rory were pitched in a tennis battle, with Amy cheering from the sidelines and Rose looking very distant just nearby.

"Amy!" He repeated, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. She stumbled, looking annoyed, and tugged her arm back.

"What?"

The Doctor lead her to the other side of the court, where they stood together and talked in low voices.

"I think we should go."

Amy snorted.

"Ha ha, what?"

"We should go. We shouldn't be here."

Amy's face dropped.

"And why not?"

The Doctor, not entirely sure how to reply to that, knitted his brow and stared at the floor. Amy moved in closer, her voice almost like poison.

"In case you haven't noticed, we crossed universes. The love of your life is over there and you haven't done anything about it! No, we are _not_ going."  
"She's happy, with him. She has the right to be, at least."

And there it was again, the image of the photo in the frame, and now, a new worry, Rose in the kitchen, telling him that _he _had always been good to her. If Rose and the metacrisis Doctor were living a lie, a lie they were both in denial about, the presence of the original Doctor was jeopardising that, and that was something the he did not want at all.

"She is _not_ happy." Replied Amy with a roll of her eyes. "Have you seen the way she looks at you?"  
"She lives with him. She's been with him longer than me, now. She loves him."

"Yeah, maybe." Shrugged Amy. "But she loves you more."

The Doctor wasn't entirely sure. Despite the photos and what had been said in the kitchen, the Doctor Rose was living with was the Doctor she knew. She didn't know his eleventh incarnation. He wasn't even entirely sure she had accepted him yet. No matter how strange she was acting, she was sleeping in the same bed as the metacrisis. That in itself made the Doctor feel more dreadful than he could put into words.

"Give it time." Amy patted his shoulder softly, and gave him a smile. "I'm confident, in this." She turned, and began to walk away, but the Doctor called after her.  
"And what about him? You're not taking him into account."

Amy looked over her shoulder at him and smirked.

"He wasn't my imaginary friend when I was seven."

And she returned to the sidelines.

The Doctor had a moment to stand and reflect on Amy's words before the metacrisis Doctor shouted over in great excitement.

"Doctor! Fancy a game?" He waved his racket around. "I've always wanted to play myself at tennis!" He stopped for a moment, thinking about it, and then grinned widely. "Well, not really, but it sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

"Oh, I'm no good at tennis." Smiled the Doctor. "And I'm not sure you are, either."

"I'm brilliant at tennis. I just beat Rory here!"  
"He cheated." Cut in a sullen Rory.

"No no, football's my thing." And the Doctor shook his head. "I'll referee."

"Oh c'mon Doctor!" Rose called over, laughing. "It'll be a right sight!"

All eyes on him, the only Time Lord on the tennis court glanced back and forth at his friends, and admitted defeat.

"Oh, alright then."

He strode onto the court, shrugging his jacket off and then took the racket from Rory. He stood on one side of the net, and waited for his tenth self to serve.

The game began, and the ball went back and forth for some moments, before the metacrisis scored a point, then another point, and another point. The Doctor was well aware of Rose's eyes upon him throughout the game, and he tried harder for it, but only ended up making a worse job out of it. He swung and he jumped, but to no avail. The metacrisis Doctor was just very good at tennis, something he was sure he hadn't been himself, when he had that body.

Breathlessly, the Doctor went to the net, breathing heavily, and his other self approached, beaming as he tossed the ball up and down.

"Don't feel bad, I'm just better than you."  
"I'm sorry?" The Doctor narrowed his eyes slightly, and then instinctively allowed them to flicker onto Rose.

"Tennis. Better at tennis."

"Of course." Breathed the Doctor, turning and heading out of the court. "Better at tennis."

**I'm worried this is getting boring, so I'm trying to keep things interesting. The story won't go on and on and on this way forever, I'll be wrapping it up before it gets tiresome.**

**Don't forget to review ;)**


	9. You lucky lucky girl

**Alas, I do not own anything here..**

Amy Pond had noticed the mild rivalry that had kicked up between the two Doctors, and, being one who very much enjoyed meddling, decided to find out where Rose stood in all of this. Everybody had retired inside after the tennis tournament (where the metacrisis Doctor had reigned champion) and now they stood in the kitchen once more, awkwardness settling over the room.

It was the Doctor who spoke first, which surprised Amy, but what he said did not.

"Doctor, I noticed, during the tour, that you're investigating the cracks..."

"Oh! Yes, the split in the skin of the universe. Fascinating stuff, I should really be getting back to it-"  
"Actually," and the Doctor smiled, "I happen to know a couple of things about that crack. Fancy having a chat about it?"  
"Love to!" Replied the other Doctor, grinning. "Come on, we'll go to the study."

Surprised at the convenience of the moment, Amy approached Rory and whispered into his ear.

"Find something to do, I need to speak to Rose."  
"Stop meddling." Hissed Rory. "You'll only make things worse."  
"Not at all, I'll make things better, if anything." She smirked, squeezing his hand. "Now go, give us some space!"

Rory, annoyed that he had been dismissed, slumped his shoulders and left the room, leaving only Amy and Rose in the vast kitchen area. Rose looked left and right, bemused, and Amy made herself comfortable by sitting on a chair at the dining table, and staring the blonde woman out.

"I think we should talk."

"Talk?" Replied Rose, unsure. "About what?"  
"Just sit down, Rose."

Rose slid into a seat reluctantly, and watched Amy from her end of the table.

"Alright, I'm gonna assume this is about the Doctor."

"The Doctors." Amy corrected. "And yes, it is, you lucky lucky girl."  
"I'm sorry?"

"Let's stop playing about. You know, I know, they know."

Rose avoided eye contact, instead looking down at her hands and fiddling with her fingers.

"They both want you, but what do _you _want?"

Rose looked up then, catching eyes with Amy, who merely raised her eyebrows.

"I..." She shook her head. "I dunno. I never saw this comin' , really...So I haven't thought about it."

"Not surprising." Replied Amy with mild amusement.

"The Doctor though, the new Doctor...My Doctor. Did he come back for me? Is that why he's here?" Eyes wide, and full of what looked to Amy like hope, Rose waited for a reply.

"If he had come back for you...Would you go with him?"

Rose laughed, but her cheeks went slightly pink.

"I love the other Doctor."

Amy stood up, feeling as though she had what she needed.

"I don't blame you for wanting to stay, though it makes me wonder. If he's a copy of the Doctor, surely you love both of them equally, and maybe the original, a little bit more?"

And she left the kitchen, leaving Rose at the table with her mouth agape.

DWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor and the metacrisis were in the study, pouring over notes and images of the crack.

"You see this," mused the Doctor, pointing at some notes, "it's correct, the crack does have properties to erase things from existence...Believe me, I know..."  
"Oh yeah?" The metacrisis eyed him. "What happened?"  
"Long story." Replied the Doctor with a smile. "It was a...Long day. River came back though."  
"River Song?"  
"That's right."  
"Do you know who she is yet?"

The Doctor laughed.

"Haven't the slightest clue."

"Typical." Replied the metacrisis, smirking.

"Anyway, the reason I wanted to talk about the crack, is because it's not actually a tear in your universe, per say." Explained the Doctor, using hand gestures to emphasise his point. "It's a split in mine, it's just opened a gateway to this world- It shouldn't be any trouble, it's not eating up the space around you-"  
"Actually," cut in the metacrisis Doctor, "if you look at these readings I got...They're getting weaker, each day, each hour..."  
"What?" Frowning deeply, the Doctor grabbed the slip of paper the metacrisis was reading from, and read it quickly. "It's closing. The crack is closing..." He looked up, highly anxious. "It's starting...Right now, in my future, I'm closing the cracks."

"How long does it have left?" Frowned the metacrisis.

"Time goes slower here...We have time, a couple of days at best." He stood up. "Best rally the troops, we can't risk being trapped on this side..."

The Doctor hurried from the study, pulling the door to behind him. Turning the corner, he made for the stairs, but collided hard with someone as he did so. Stumbling back, he saw it was a very sheepish looking Rose.

"Oh! Hello!" She beamed, regaining her composure. "I was just-"  
"It's alright. It was my fault."

"It's okay. Honestly." Chuckled Rose.

Silence followed, and the two stared at one another, the air around them electric, somehow. The crack and its properties had slipped out of the Doctor's mind entirely, now that he was faced with Rose, who meant more than the universe, to him.

"Did you two have fun? Doing...Whatever it was. Something sciency, no doubt?"  
The Doctor waved his hand dismissively.

"Wibbly wobbly timey wimey. What've you been doing?"  
"Talking to Amy." Replied Rose with a nod. "She's...Feisty."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "More than you know..." He paused, suddenly terrified. "What did she say to you?"

"Stuff. A few things. About you." She cleared her throat. "It made me think. I've liked having you here. I've missed you, the proper you-"  
"_He _is me."

"And he told me he loved me." Rose deadpanned. "A few times, actually, since Bad Wolf Bay part two. He loves me, and I love him. Shouldn't that mean..."  
"Mean what?" The Doctor wasn't properly following, where was she going with this...?

She smiled then and shook her head, as if she had been expecting his response. Then she looked up at him, and raised one hand to his face so that she could brush his unruly fringe out of his eye. The Doctor didn't move, he didn't breathe, he simply enjoyed her touch, her presence.

And then she kissed him.

The Doctor stayed completely still, eyes wide open. The realisation that Rose was kissing him didn't kick in for another moment, and when it did, his mouth opened almost instinctively and he began to kiss her back, slowly but surely, exploring the feeling of kissing her properly, feeling her against him. He fell back against the hallway wall as she put more force into it, her hands going to his chest so that his hearts beat against her palms.

They were kissing passionately, and it didn't feel wrong or tense or awkward, it felt completely right, just as the Doctor had imagined it all that time ago, and he didn't think about the metacrisis or the crack or everything else that was wrong with this kiss, he only focused on the kiss itself, and his hands that had somehow ended up on her waist, and how good they felt there.

Then it ended, and it felt like a cruel slap in the face as Rose's warmth pulled away from him. She stepped back, breathless, her gaze remaining on the floor, shame flickering across her face. Neither said anything, and it stayed that way, as Rose turned her back and descended the stairs. The Doctor was left, feeling slightly dazed, still leaning against the wall, as if for support now.

It wasn't until she had gone that the guilt hit him.

**DRAMA! **

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	10. I want you

**I don't own these characters, but if I did I would be _so _happy.**

The Doctor went to hide in the guest room and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall opposite. Being alone seemed like a good idea. It took a good few minutes of staring for him to begin forming proper thoughts.

The first thing he wanted to know was why she had kissed him.

She had the metacrisis Doctor, who was as good, if not better (for a human anyway) than himself. He knew though, the trip had taught him, that the metacrisis, to Rose, was not as good. He flashed back to their second time at Bad Wolf Bay, and the anguished words from Rose herself as he had forced his duplicate upon her. _"But he's not you."_

It really had seemed like a good idea at the time, but Amy had put it into perspective. It was typical Doctor, typical Doctor to not look into an emotional matter properly. He had left Rose with somebody who was him, but not him. Not at all; and now that he had a new face, the image of his tenth self was far from what Rose wanted.

He felt sick. Sick that everything was falling apart, sick that he was _causing _it to fall apart, and why? Because of Amy. Because Amy had made him come here.

But was it really all her fault?

And then there was the metacrisis- the other him. What if he found out that Rose and the Doctor had kissed? What then? He knew what. It would crush him, cut him deeply inside, and he would never say anything, never change anything, he would just silently hurt, and that was the problem.

The Doctor reflected that this was why he never got involved in this sort of thing. It always ended up being more complicated than was necessary.

The kiss had ruined everything. The Doctor could feel his world and Rose's world crumbling around him.

And then there was a quiet rapping on the door.

Looking up, the Time Lord saw Amy slipping around the door and into the room, followed closely by Rory.

"Hey stranger, we've been looking all over the house for you."

"Well, you found me." Replied the Doctor, smiling a little.

"What's happened?" Asked Rory, frowning deeply, his gaze immediately flickering to Amy.

"Why do you look at me when you say that?" Pouted Amy.

"Obvious reasons." Answered Rory with raised eyebrows. The Doctor spoke then, ignoring everything the two had said.

"She kissed me."

"Woo!" Amy pumped her fist. "Way to go Doctor!"

"No, no, not 'way to go'." Snapped the Doctor, jumping up and clenching his fists.  
"Then what?" Amy frowned, as if she couldn't see any of the problems that the kiss in itself had both caused and made known. Rory watched the Doctor pace with a straight face, somewhat understanding of the Time Lords situation.

"In case you didn't notice, we've crashed into a utopia here. A perfect house with a perfect family and a perfect couple-" He paused, shook his head. "Actually, scratch that last bit."

"I told you she wouldn't be happy." Said Amy, smug. "What made you realise?"  
"The photographs on her bedside table. They're of her and I...Not him." He breathed out and stopped mid step, glaring at Amy accusingly. "What did you say to her?"

"Not much-" Shrugged the woman, avoiding eye contact.  
"Well you obviously said something, because she kissed me!"

"I told you not to meddle!" Rory cried, whirling on her.

"So did I." Murmured the Doctor. Amy rolled her eyes and thrust her arms out around her.

"Look where we are, fellas! We're in the supposedly impossible to reach Rose Tyler's _home. _Meddling is good!"  
"Not when that meddling leads to people getting hurt." Snapped the Doctor, eyes darkening.

"What the other you doesn't know won't hurt him." Amy said nonchalantly, waving a hand. "So, how was the kiss?"  
"Fine, it was fine."  
"Just fine?" Amy moved her face closer to the Doctor's, a slight smile on her face that the Doctor, at present, found extremely irritating.  
"Okay, it was fantastic, but that's not the point."

"What're you going to do?" Rory was the first to speak words of wisdom, and both Amy and the Doctor turned to face him, as if in amazement.

"The cracks are closing." The Doctor clenched his jaw. "We slip away, she won't notice for a while. We leave what we can intact..."  
"So you're going to walk away while her backs turned, like you did on that beach?" Clarified Amy. "I don't think so."

The weary Time Lord ran his hands over his face.

"What do you suggest?"

DWDWDWDWDW

It was in the laundry room, where the Doctor found Rose. When Amy had told him to find her and speak to her, it hadn't seemed like a good idea, but as she had forced him out of the bedroom door, he had realised that it was really the only thing he could do.

He slowly edged into the room, shoulders hunched. Rose was cramming various items of clothing into the washing machine and hadn't noticed him enter. The Doctor cleared his throat to signal his arrival. She looked up sharply, and went pink at the sight of him.

"Oh, hello."  
"Hello." Replied the Doctor, standing still in the doorway. "I just came to-"  
"Ask about what happened before...Yeah." She glanced at the pile of washing, frowned at it and got up. "I don't even do the washing...I just...Needed a distraction."

"Don't we all." Smiled the Doctor, venturing further into the small room, which smelt strongly of fabric softener and cleaning supplies. "I needed to say...That...I...We-"  
"We can't kiss again, I know." She nodded almost regretfully, and averted her gaze. "I've just always wanted to kiss you and-" She shook her head then. "You're him. He's you. This all seems so silly!"  
"I know." Replied the Doctor, keeping a poker face as Rose stood up slowly so that she could approach him.

"You're different, I like the new you..." She said softly. "And it just doesn't seem fair...That now you're here, we can't..."  
"Can't what?" The Doctor had moved slightly so that he was against the dryer now, and Rose followed, something she shouldn't have been doing.

"Just..." She sighed and rested her hands on his chests so that again, she could feel his hearts, something the Doctor knew the metacrisis lacked, in comparison to him. He felt fierce affection for her want to feel the double heart beat. Her acceptance of his race had always been something he appreciated. "All those times we had. We never got closer than holding hands or hugging-"  
"Or the occasional mind control kiss." Pitched in the Doctor. Rose giggled.

"Yeah, you're right but...I didn't do those things with him. I did them with you, and now I want more-"  
The Doctor couldn't help himself.

"You want...?"  
"You. It's always been you I want. Not another you."

"You've been with him for so long...It isn't fair, Rose.

"And what do you want?" Her expression was almost devilish now, and she quirked an eyebrow. "Has anybody asked? It's not just about me."  
"I want you...Happy." He closed his eyes. "I want you happy."  
"Then just let me do this." She whispered.

Then she leaned in once more, just like in the hallway, and she pressed her lips to his. The Doctor wasn't sure if it was the memory of times gone by, or the desperate need for more of those times with Rose, but he kissed her with a fierce passion that sent a fire roaring through him, his love for her instantly surpassing his guilt. Again his mind was wiped of the problems of the kiss, and instead his arms were wrapped tight around her, and hers around him.

She pulled him tighter against her each second, so much so that she stumbled against the washing machine, refusing to release him. The Doctor knew their passion was heightened because it was forbidden, that they shouldn't have been together, shouldn't have had each other... He ran his hands through her blonde hair, felt it's softness beneath his touch, and Rose moaned slightly into the kiss, moving her lips and tongue against his.

No words were said and no air was breathed in for a good minute or two, before the Doctor angled his head so that he could kiss her jaw bone, and the words fell from his mouth.

"I love you." He had uttered the word before he could stop himself. They seemed to linger on his tongue, and he knew he should have regretted saying it, but he didn't.

Both parties froze however, and while they both continued to suck in fast, breathless gasps, all suddenly felt right in the room. The Doctor didn't dare move as he thought about the circumstances. _Well, at least Amy will approve._

**OH MY GOD YOU TWO GET A ROOM**

Review? :D


	11. Kiss me again

** WHY YOU MAKE MY CHAPTERS LOOK SO SHORT?**

**Sorry if this doesn't look like much, I assure you on word it was like, 2 pages :/ **

**Enjoy, anyway!**

"You just said it. You said you loved me."

"I...What?" The Doctor slowly directed his gaze up at Rose. She stared down at him, and her mouth steadily curved upwards at the corners.

"You finally said it."

The Doctor straightened up, looked left and right, and smiled in an amused fashion. He was evidently quite taken aback by his own words.

"I did." He looked sideways at Rose. "It wasn't as difficult as I thought it'd be..."

"Then kiss me again." Rose said seriously, taking him by his lapels. "Because I love you too."

She pulled him against her once more and hitched herself up on the washing machine so that the Doctor was positioned between her legs. They kissed fiercely, Rose's hands slowly pulling his tweed jacket down over his shoulders. The Doctor enjoyed every moment of it, as it really had been a long time, and he revelled in doing it with Rose. He knew their time was borrowed, and what they were doing in the laundry room would be frowned upon by the metacrisis Doctor, but instead of properly considering the ramifications of their actions, the only problem that arose in the Doctor's mind was that the laundry room door was not locked, and it was therefore, not safe.

"The door." He murmured into Rose's lips, making a less than valiant attempt to move away from her. Rose caught the back of his legs with the heel of her foot, her leg wrapped around him.

"What?" She murmured back, continuing to kiss him, blindly working on undoing his bow tie, and thus, his shirt buttons.

"The door!" The Doctor repeated, and he fumbled for his sonic screwdriver with one hand, while the other remained around Rose's waist. The blonde, highly bemused by his behaviour, continued messing with his buttons until at least the first three were undone. The Doctor had found his sonic screwdriver, inexplicably tucked in his back pocket, and had managed to pull himself and Rose away from the washing machine. He twisted around in an attempt to lock the door with the device from a distance, but his efforts were in vain. Rose completely disregarded his behaviour and continued kissing his jawbone and then neck, which the Doctor considered very distracting. He vowed to lock the door much quicker so that their escapades could continue, but as he leaned further towards the door itself, stretching unnecessarily, he eventually lost his balance, and, just as the lock clicked, he went toppling to the floor, Rose going with him. Together they lay, slightly dazed on the ground amongst the abandoned laundry, her on top of him. Sitting up, hair all in her face, Rose smirked down at the Doctor, propping herself up on his chest.

"Convenient." She thrust her hips back and forth as if for effect, and the Doctor flung his sonic screwdriver to one side.

"I suppose so."

And there, on the laundry room floor, he took her into his arms once more.

DWDWDWDWDW

Amy had decided it was high time she began her spy work on the Doctor. She wanted to make sure he had actually spoken to Rose about things, found out what she truly wanted, and she needed to know the Doctor wasn't lying when he reported back. She crept about the house like a ninja, pressing herself against walls and peeking around corners as if she were a government spy. The Doctor and Rose didn't appear to be anywhere, and Amy would have decided she were not a very good spy at all, had Rory not been accompanying her.

"This is your fault, you're probably being too loud, you'll have spooked them."  
Rory glared at her.

"They're not deer."

About to retort back, Amy opened her mouth, but instantly closed it again, when she heard what sounded like muffled voices nearby. Whipping her head around, she looked down the hallway, in the direction of the laundry room and dining room, and shushed Rory as she began to creep once more, down the corridor. Rory followed, whispering behind her-

"What's that noise?"  
"I don't know." Replied Amy, slowing down as they reached the door of the nearest room. Pressing her head to the door so that her ear touched wood, Amy Pond listened very carefully, to the noises coming from the laundry room. Her curious expression slowly turned into a knowing one, and then a knowing smile crossed her face.

She smirked at Rory, who looked quite alarmed and confused.

"Are they-!"

Amy tried the door, which was locked tight. Her lips curved up at one corner, and she wiggled her eyebrows at Rory.

"You bet they are."

"What about everything he said! All that guilt!"

"Guilt shmilt!" Amy turned and began walking back down the hall.

"You shouldn't have said anything y'know, to him, or Rose." Scolded Rory, hurrying to keep up with her. "They're both quite temperamental when around each other, if you hadn't noticed."

"Rory, let them have their fun." Amy replied, rolling her eyes before her face became mischievous. "...Do we have a laundry room?"

"What?"

They disappeared into the lounge, just as the metacrisis descended the stairs.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor and Rose, thoroughly content and currently not feeling in the slightest bit guilty, were hurriedly pulling clothes back on. It hadn't quite sunk in, what they had done, even as the Doctor shrugged on his tweed jacket and Rose buttoned up her shirt.

A loud rapping on the door startled them both.

"Rose? Is that you in there?" Came the muffled voice of a suspicious metacrisis Doctor.

The Doctor jumped at her words and swapped an alarmed look with Rose, who went to the door.  
"Yeah!" She called back. "I'll be right out-"

"Why have you locked the door?"

Rose glanced back at the Doctor, panic rising in her eyes.  
"Uh...I haven't!" She gestured to the Doctor, who quickly unlocked the door. She shooed him away, warning him to hide, and he looked flustered for a moment, before running to hide between the washer and dryer. Rose opened the door.

"Hiya." And she threw her arms around the other Doctor's neck to distract him. "Are you okay?"  
"Fine."

The Doctor could see from his hiding place that the metacrisis was scouring the room with suspicious eyes, but then, his expression softened.

"Brilliant, with you around." He took Rose's hand and kissed her full on the mouth. The Doctor's stomach twisted, and he wanted to look away, but he couldn't. Rose kissed him back briefly before pulling away, smiling uncomfortably.

"Shall we go find the others?"

"'Course." Smiled the metacrisis. "I'll be right with you. Just gonna make a cup of tea." He gestured over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen, and Rose nodded slowly.

"Alright. I'll be in the lounge." Eyeing him with uncertainty, she turned and headed back down the hallway, disappearing into the lounge.

The Doctor watched from his hiding place as the metacrisis waited for Rose to go. Was he going to make that cup of tea, or not?

All his hopes were thrown out of the window when the other Doctor entered the laundry room, standing square in the middle of it.  
"Alright. I know you're in here. Come on out."

**I made them get a room, it's all your fault, you lot. **

**No I'm kidding, but I do very much take your reviews into account, thank you very much for them. It's coming up to the most I've ever got on a story!**


	12. My Rose

**So many reviews! You are all magical creatures, thank you!**

Panic rose in the Doctor's chest. He wondered if he should pretend he wasn't there at all...Or if he should cause a distraction, but he knew full well his efforts would be futile.

He emerged slowly from his hiding place, sheepishly straightening up and facing the metacrisis full on.

"I heard you." Said the metacrisis, glowering at the Doctor. "And I saw."  
"I'm sorry?" Frowned the Doctor. "Saw...?"  
"You and Rose, in the hallway. And here."

"Ah." He cleared his throat. "Right." There was a pause, and then he added- "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" The metacrisis laughed sarcastically. "You're sorry?"

The Doctor stared hard at his clone, mouth pressed in a thin line. What could he say?

"It's _Rose._" And the metacrisis lowered his voice now."You know how much she means to me. To both of us."

"I know." Boy, did he know... "She wanted to...I mean-"

"Oh, she wanted to." The metacrisis laughed. "That makes it much better, that she _wanted to _betray me." He smirked. "Oh, sorry. That you _both _wanted to betray me."  
"It wasn't betrayal-" Tried the Doctor, feeling completely out of his depth. "You remember how it felt, after she was lost. I would've given anything to see her. You should understand."  
"But I don't." Cut in the metacrisis, tone turning into something ugly, almost a low growl. The Doctor opened his mouth and then closed it again.

"I... I'm sorry. But she...She was happy to see me. She's _happy. _That's all I ever wanted-"

"And what're you, to Rose?" Snarled the metacrisis, lurching forwards so that he was inches from the Doctor's face. "She doesn't know you, she doesn't know the new you."

The Doctor shouldn't have felt hurt, or even a little frightened of himself, but he did. He was sure that this Doctor, born in battle, full of blood and anger and revenge, would revel in hurting himself. He flashed back to the dream lord, the darkness within him that the psychic pollen had fed on, and he knew that he should have thought about the effects such inner darkness would have on his clone. He worried for Rose instantly.

"Listen... I can leave. The crack's closing, I can disappear. You can have her-"

He was cut off as the metacrisis seized him roughly by the front of his shirt. He whirled him around, flinging him against the dryer so that his back made contact with the edge. The Doctor let out a groan of pain and slumped to the floor, feeling dazed and alarmed. He looked up at his clone, and thoughts of this happening to Rose stabbed away at him.

"If you've touched her-" He began, feeling rage build within him.

"Touch her? Rose? My Rose? Of course not." The metacrisis put his hands in his pockets and leant against the opposing wall. "You, though. You're different. You left me here, and at first I just thought you were really stupid, to give her up, and then I thought you wanted to leave me behind because I was, I dunno, 'dangerous' or something, and I wasn't mad, not really. But she's mine, Rose is. She's happy with me. Don't try and spoil that."  
"I just wanted to see her."Whispered the Doctor, feeling helpless as everything crashed and burned around him. He knew the metacrisis would never hurt Rose, and that, at present, was the only silver lining to the cloud.

"You didn't, not at all. You wanted to prove that you'll always be the best!" Spat the metacrisis, leaning forwards. "You just wanted to rub it in my face, didn't you? I'm half the man you are, I _know_! I have one heart, not two, and don't think I hadn't noticed the photos on her bedside table." He was almost screaming now, his shouts so loud and harsh that the Doctor couldn't help but feel disgraced. "We're living a lie! It's something we never address, and now you've _ruined it. _You've _destroyed _everything I've built here! I should kill you, I should destroy everything _you have!" _He breathed out, pacing back and forth now. "At least then there'd only be me."

"I told you." Said the Doctor evenly. "I'll go, you'll never see me again. _She'll _never see me again."

"I can't, I can't let you." And the metacrisis's eyes blazed with a disjointed madness the Doctor had only ever seen in his own face once before, a very long time ago... "You were right. Blood and anger and revenge. It's always there, it'll always be there, and I can't let you walk away."

He moved towards the Doctor at lightning speed, grabbing him by his neck and squeezing hard. He lifted him onto his feet so that he could push him against the wall, and the Doctor wasn't sure if he should bother struggling. His presence had not only destroyed lives, but it had unlocked the madness within the metacrisis, something which should have forever stayed dormant, with Rose's aid. He felt his airwaves closing, he choked and struggled for breath, and he wondered idly how it would feel, being killed by himself...

The door flew open then and Amy shot through the gap, smacking the metacrisis hard in the face. He staggered and released the Doctor, falling back against the washing machine.

Rory ran to the Doctor's side, using his nursing instincts to check there was no serious damage to the Time Lords neck.

"You'll be okay." He said, patting him on the back. "How do you feel?"  
"Like I've just been strangled." Replied the Doctor dryly. "How did you know I was in trouble?"  
"Please," Amy said, kneeling down beside him, "the metacrisis was shouting that loud, they probably heard him back in our universe." She kissed him on the cheek. "You're lucky I pack a punch. Rory wouldn't have done much good."

"Oi!"

But the Doctor wasn't listening. Rose had entered the room.

Amy and Rory swapped looks, and Rory himself took the awkward moment to stand and help the metacrisis up.  
"Come on. Let's get you a cold compress..."

Neither Amy nor the metacrisis said anything as they were led out, leaving Rose and the Doctor alone in the laundry room. The Doctor was starting to feel like he lived in there.

"What happened?" Rose asked, running to his side and cupping his face in hand. The Doctor recoiled from her touch. "I heard shoutin'..." She added, sounding slightly choked up.

"He...Wasn't very pleased with me."  
"Why?"

The Doctor looked at her meaningfully, and she nodded.

"Oh."

"I don't think...Any of this, was ever a good idea."

Rose was forcing back tears now, but her efforts were futile. They spilled over her cheeks in rivers.

"I know."

The Doctor set his jaw.  
"What did he do to you?" Rose added, watching him with worry.

"Something he shouldn't have, but that I expected. It was my fault. You shouldn't worry." He made for the door but froze in the frame when Rose spoke.

"But what if he does it to one of us? Mum or Dad or Tony?" He looked at her over his shoulder, and sighed with guilt.

"He'd never hurt you, I know he wouldn't, but...I don't think you can trust him anymore." He turned back to the frame and breathed out, closing his eyes tight. "And it's my fault."

He left the room then, a simple room that contained too many memories that were strange to him, and went straight to the front door.

"Amy, Rory!" He called over his shoulder. "We're leaving!"

He was out on the driveway by the time his companions caught up to him.  
"Where are you going?"  
"Back to reality!" Snapped the Doctor. "The crack is closing, and not a moment too soon. I've destroyed _everything _here."

Amy and Rory didn't reply, only followed him to the edge of the drive in silence.

**WHEN DID THIS STORY BECOME SO HEARTBREAKING?**

**Remember to review, if you aren't still dealing with all the angst.**


	13. Don't be an idiot

**Sorry for the slight lateness. I've been quite busy the last couple of days!**

Amy and Rory had followed the Doctor into the Torchwood building after they had flagged a taxi from the main road to there. Neither had made any comments, and the Doctor thanked them inwardly, breezing through security with his psychic paper and staff knowledge of who he was to Rose.

Not a word was said, that was, until they arrived at the cordoned off room.

After looking left and right, the Doctor used the sonic to unlock the door, and the three filed inside, the lights flickering on instantly.

The crack remained there, but it glowed that little bit more, and the edges seemed to have shrunk inwards. The Doctor knew they had some time yet, but he didn't take his eyes off the thin smile that ran along the familiar wall. Everybody would be happier if he left. It would be better for him to just disappear without word, than to make things worse for Rose and the metacrisis.

An uncomfortable feeling swept over him as he thought about his clone. His clone, who had tried to _kill _him, not an hour ago. He swallowed. Would Rose really be safe? The metacrisis had committed genocide...

"I can't let you do this."

The Doctor didn't flinch at the sound of Amy's voice. It had only been a matter of time before she objected. He didn't reply.

"You can't just leave. Not after everything that's happened."

Another silence, and Amy took the Time Lord by the arm, forcing him around to face her. "Doctor!"  
"What, Amy?" The Doctor stared at her firmly, his eyes dark. "What can you say? That it was a good idea to come here? "  
"It was!" Amy argued.

"No!" Snapped the Doctor, and he tugged his arm away from his companion's grasp. "It was _not _a good idea! I _told you. _Why would you push me to this? Have you seen what it's doing to Rose, to the metacrisis? He was slightly unstable as it was...Nothing too serious, but this whole thing has unlocked a side that should never have been touched!" His cheeks flushed red as he shouted, and he knew he shouldn't have been taking it out on Amy, but it had been her idea, and in his eyes, she was the only one to blame who wasn't himself. "I'm ruining _lives. _And why? Because you thought it'd be fun to pry into my past!"  
"It wasn't for fun-" Amy attempted, but the Doctor shouted her down.

"You never _do _as you're told! I told you about the dangers, I didn't _want _to come here, but look where we are? Look at me! Look at what's happening to me!" Tears of frustration and hurt brimmed in his eyes but he wiped them away before they fell.

"You _did _want to come here!" Snapped Amy. "You love her, you told me all about her! You loved seeing her again, you loved the cheeky kiss in the hallway and you weren't guilty at all about shagging her in the laundry room! Who cares about the ramifications! What matters is that you love her, and she-"

"But this was never the plan!" Yelled the Doctor, waving his arms around to illustrate his point.

Amy seized his wrists and dragged them to his sides, staring him full in the face.

"Then what was the plan?"  
"To see her! I just wanted to see her. Not to ruin her life." And he pulled away from her.

"Running away isn't going to make it any better! You told me yourself that running away wasn't the right thing to do. You can't just leave them here, he's not right in the head, the metacrisis!"  
"Oh, they'll be fine." Said the Doctor, but he didn't believe his own words.

"Stop being such a coward!" Amy said sharply. "Protect her!"

"She's right." Rory chimed in. "He's dangerous, that clone of yours. You can't leave them alone with him."

The Doctor's eyes flickered from Amy to Rory. He felt angrier that they were ganging up on him, but humbled because they cared enough to do so.

"You ruined her life once before." Amy said softly, stepping back and glancing at the doorway just near them. "This is your chance to make it better."

The Doctor followed her gaze to the doorway, where Rose now stood.

"You didn't ruin my life." She said softly, eyes shining with new tears.

"Rose." He hadn't realised she had been following them. He tried to hide the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah." She smiled, and walked towards him. Amy and Rory backed away, somewhat awkwardly. "It was out of your hands, leaving me here. The first time couldn't be helped, and the second time you were just trying to make me happy, and I understand that."

The Doctor nodded slowly, though he still felt awful.

"You always understood."

She smiled back, and brushed a stray hair behind her ear, quite serious now.

"Why did you come here, if all it's done is make you feel awful?"

The Doctor's eyes instantly flickered to Amy, settling on her frame. Rose followed his gaze and she laughed slightly when the redhead gave them both a little wave.

"Of course."

"I shouldn't have come here, though." The Doctor stared at the floor, frowning deeply. "I should never have."

"What _was_ the plan?" Asked Rose, brow furrowing.  
"To...To see you. With the last chance I had."

"The cracks."

"That's right."

"That crack..." Whispered Rose, turning to face it. "In that Godforsaken wall." She walked towards it, taking baby steps until she could touch the surface. She ran her hand up and down, then trailed her finger along the smile shaped line. "I hated this wall. When we were separated, I saw it as the only thing keeping me from you. I smacked and hit it for what felt like hours."

The Doctor swallowed.

"I'm sorry I came here."

Rose whirled, and she looked at him with wide, hurt eyes.

"No, don't be sorry." She pulled away from the wall and went to him then, facing him full on. "You showed me what I really wanted. You proved that I'd just been pretending, all these years, with the metacrisis. I only ever wanted you."

The Doctor wanted to tell her that he had only ever wanted her, too, but how could he? How could he confirm her insecurities, and tear Jackie and Pete's daughter away for the hundredth time? He knew he wanted her with him though, he knew the TARDIS would feel whole again, with her there, and it was what Amy and Rory had said, too. The metacrisis was dangerous. He needed Rose and her family safe, and he needed to be happy, for once...

"Doctor...I only want you." Repeated Rose. "Don't leave me behind again. This is our last chance...Take it, please."

The silence that followed Rose's bold statement seemed to hang around the people in the room like a thick fog. The Doctor wasn't sure he could break it.

"Don't be an idiot, Doctor." Amy said, appearing at his side. He looked at her with mild alarm, but she only smirked.

"You could bring her family through, as well!" Rory suggested, standing on Amy's other side. The Doctor saw Rose's eyes light up, and she nodded furiously.

"And you'd leave him? You'd leave the metacrisis behind just like that?" Said the Doctor, hardly believing the conversation himself.

"I didn't see what he did to you..." Said Rose, quietly. "But I know he tried to seriously hurt you. You'd never do that. You'd never try to kill anyone, over something like that, and...It made me realise that he really isn't you, as much as you try to make me believe that."

The Doctor opened and closed his mouth, lost for words. She was entirely right, of course. He hadn't done the right thing, in abandoning her back in this world with the metacrisis, and running away when she needed him most.

"You don't..." He cleared his throat, finding his words. "You don't hate me...Then?"

Rose slapped his arm and laughed.

"I could _never _hate you. Not in a million years."

A smile was swapped, and nothing was said. Amy, standing just behind the Doctor now, shoved him in the back hard, grinning mischievously as the Time Lord fell straight into Rose. She steadied him by catching him around his middle, and their faces were so close then, that all they could do was lean in and kiss.

For the Doctor, everything at that moment was perfect, and all seemed right with the world.

Until the sound of a door slamming made everyone look up.

Standing in the door frame, staring straight at the Doctor and Rose, arms wrapped around one another, was the metacrisis.

The perfect moment was shattered.

**That was a happy chapter! It wasn't going to stay depressing for long!  
Well, now that the metacrisis has showed up it should get exciting...**

**Review! :D**


	14. Bewitched my whole family, you have

**I feel rather awful here, because I am in fact springing the final chapter on you. I was going to have at least one more, but when I wrote this, I realised that there was no point dragging it out. I think you'll see why. I like the ending very much, and I hope you do too!**

The Doctor stepped forward ever so slightly, so that he was in front of his three friends. The metacrisis's shoulders visibly slumped. Nobody said anything, until-

"I'm sorry."

The Doctor relaxed, frowning in bemusement at his clone.

"Pardon?"

"Don't make me say it again." Murmured the metacrisis. The Doctor looked confused.

"Okay...I won't."

"You're _sorry _for trying to kill the Doctor?" Snapped Rose, marching towards the metacrisis and poking him in the chest with one finger. "How could you? I was right, you really _aren't _him!"

The metacrisis opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words. The Doctor observed him, and at that moment he really could see himself in that skinny clone of his. Forever apologetic and guilty about his actions, something all too familiar for the Doctor himself; he touched Rose's arm and she turned to him.

"Leave it." He said softly.

"I'm not leaving it." Replied Rose sharply. "He's not what he used to be."

"I'm not, no...Not at all, really." Cut in the metacrisis, hands buried in his pockets. "I've thought about it, I've thought about us...I know it's a lie." His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked off to the side, at the surrounding walls, trying to act nonchalant. "And I know I can't be trusted. I don't trust myself."

"You couldn't help it. It's what you were born into." The Doctor sighed. "I can't leave you, with them. With her."

"I know." Nodded the metacrisis, and he caught eyes with the Doctor and strode towards him. Amy, Rory and Rose all tensed, but the Doctor waved them off and stepped forward himself.

The metacrisis held a hand out, and the Time Lord took it, shaking it carefully. He felt the other hand tighten around his as they moved up and down, and the metacrisis gave him a steely smile.

"I really hate you, you know." He said in a tone tinted with humour. The Doctor nodded sympathetically.

"I hated you for a little while."

They smiled at one another with mutual understanding.

"I want her happy." The metacrisis said quietly then, and he released the Doctors hand as he stared at the floor. "Promise me that you'll make sure she is."

"I promise."

"What're you gonna do now?" Asked Amy, folding her arms.

"I'll do what I can to protect this world." Said the metacrisis with a shrug. "Without my past hanging around, I can try and get rid of my demons...I suppose."

The Doctor's lips curved up at the corners. Things had come around, got better, even after everything had seemed so broken and wrong. He felt for the metacrisis though, he hurt for him, but he knew it was best, to leave him on his own, and so did he.

"Will you be okay?" Rose was between them now, eyes wide and brimming with tears.

"Oh you know me." Smiled the metacrisis, keeping his distance. "I'm always okay."

A silence hung around the two for a moment, and then the metacrisis added- "I love you, Rose."

She nodded and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek.

"I know. And I love you." She stepped back, taking the Doctor's hand in hers. "But you know I can't stay here...I never fitted in, and we never fitted together."

The ghost of a smile flashed across the metacrisis's face, and his tone was not bitter.

"And why settle for second best, eh? You love me because I'm him. I was lucky to get you the first time."

The Doctor felt an ache in his chest, and he looked at his feet in an almost cowardly fashion, feeling terrible to just be beside Rose, holding her hand, when the metacrisis couldn't. The tables had truly turned since his arrival, and he wasn't sure whether he should be thanking Amy, or shouting at her.

Silently, he and Rose turned their backs on the metacrisis Doctor, hardly daring to look back, and slowly made their way to the back wall, hand in hand. Amy and Rory followed, Amy's head on Rory's shoulder, and together they stood in a row, facing the crack.

The Doctor fumbled for his sonic, took it in hand, and held it at the crack, pushing the button.

The smile turned into a gaping mouth, and through it, visible a distance away, was the TARDIS, stood waiting for them in the decrepit room. The Doctor felt Rose's hand tighten around his, almost in fear as Amy and Rory first made their way through the gap.

Looking at one another, the Doctor and Rose prepared themselves to step through worlds, but a loud voice called them out.

"Oi you two! Don't think you're getting away that easily!"

Spinning around, the couple came face to face with Jackie Tyler, armed with suitcases and satchels, a little boy standing beside her, his tiny hand in hers. On her other side was Rose's father, holding the rest of the bags, almost weighed down by them all.

"Hi." He murmured, slightly annoyed and confused by the situation.

"Could have told us this one was unstable-" Jackie gestured over her shoulder to the metacrisis, who raised his eyebrows. "No offense, love." She added.

The Doctor's eyes darted from one family member to the other, and then to the little boy, who he deduced was in fact, little Tony.

"Hello Doctor." He said quietly, hiding a little behind his mother's legs. The Doctor smiled widely and wiggled his fingers in a strange wave. Jackie looked irritated, but her expression was somehow soft.

"Bewitched my whole family, you have." She peered over his shoulder at the huge gap in the wall, growing smaller each second. "That's the exit then? I've missed that funny old world."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile; he imagined the earth would be a much warmer place with the Tyler's return. He released Rose's hand and stood aside, gesturing to the gap.

"Your carriage awaits."

"You'd better have some plan to get us a house and an income" Jackie ordered as she shuffled towards the portal, holding Tony's hand on one side and three bags on the other. Rose rolled her eyes and murmured to the Doctor;

"Sorry..."  
"I'm sure I can whip something up." The Doctor laughed, following the group towards the bright light. Just before he went through, he turned one last time to view the metacrisis, who smiled at him, giving him a small salute. The Doctor nodded to him.

"Good luck."

And he stepped through, the pathway closing behind him.

DWDWDWDWDW 

"I really love the new TARDIS." Rose said in awe, leaning on the console. The Doctor chuckled and looked around, noticing the brighter glow the ship had been emanating since Rose's arrival on board.

"Yeah. I like her new look. It's sexy. Well, I think it's sexy."  
"It's very sexy." Giggled Rose. "By the way, thanks for giving mum and dad them lottery numbers. I was worried they'd have nowhere to go."

"It's what I do." Shrugged the Doctor, flipping switches and circling the console.

"It is." Beamed Rose, following him, staring at the new interior. "-feels the same, in'ere."

"Always, has, always will." Agreed the Doctor, watching her bright brown eyes flit around. She caught him looking and faced him, stroking his face with one hand.

"Thank you."

"Thank you?" The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "What for?"  
"For making me happy." She smiled slightly and kissed him on the forehead. "Now, I need to do some exploring of this place... maybe now you'll let me see your bedroom?" She gave him a mischievous smile.

"I suppose I could make an exception." Replied the Doctor fondly.

Rose looked as though it was Christmas morning, and she clapped her hands together once before looking up at the TARDIS column. The Doctor regarded her as she shuffled to his side, their shoulder's meeting.  
"The stuff of legend are together once again!" She said overtly, her laugh fighting through, causing her words to shake. "I told you we'd always be okay, you and me."

"You were right." The Doctor caught eyes with her, and in them he saw a brief glimpse of the metacrisis, someone who he would never forget, just like all his other friends. He bowed his head a little at the memory, and let Rose kiss him full on the lips.

When she pulled away she stuck her tongue out slightly, and her cheeks went pink.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of doing that."

With that, she turned on her heel and vanished up the stairs, and into the depths of the TARDIS.

Moments later, from one of the stairwell to the Doctor's right, Amy Pond emerged, smirking triumphantly, having obviously witnessed the entire exchange between the Doctor and Rose.

"Stop this, Amy! We can't!" She said over dramatically, quoting the Doctor from earlier as she descended the steps. "The fabric of reality will collapse!"  
"Alright alright." Grimaced the Doctor. "I get it."

"Oh come on. I reunited you with your lost love. I've gotta get some points for that."

"Points?"

"Never mind. The fact is, you said it was impossible, and-"  
"And you proved me wrong." Finished the Doctor, and he smiled wryly. "The fabric of the universe nearly collapsed; there were worlds and lives at risk because of you, Amelia Pond."

Amy stared at him, slightly unsure, as he leaned in, his voice only a whisper. "Thank you."

**I hope none of the metacrisis/ Doctor scene was anti climactic for any of you. I wanted the fight to be a learning experience for the Doctor and for Meta, and at the end of the day, it really isn't in his character to be a complete nutter.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. This has been the most popular story I've written, and I've adored reading all the reviews and writing the story. I'm sad it's over, but I'll definately be continuing with 11/Rose stories in the future, so watch this space.**

**~Jenny**


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